Means for applying sealing wax



March l2, 1929. F. M. DURKE MEANS FOR APPLYING sEALING wAx Filed Jan. 10. 1927 Patented Mar. l2, 1929.

entre safaris FEEEmcK M. D'RKEE, or BRooKILINE', MAs'sAdrrusE-rir's.

MEANS FOR APPLYING SEALING Application iled January 10, 1927.

My invention relates to means for handling or applying sealing Wax and it has for its object to provide improved mean-s through the use of which a wax seal can be applied to a document, enveiopeor the like with accuracy, neatness land dispatch, and in amanner that is much more secure tha-ii has been possible with the means and methods' heretofore employed.

To these ends my invention consists of seal applying means comprising a body or frame carrying an electric heater whose heating unit may be construotedfafter the fashion' ofthe well kinownelectric cigar lighter, and a sealA or the like' which, in the best form of my inventiomis also carried by said frame'. In usingthis apparatus a pellet of wax is-placed upon the envelope or the like to which the seal is to be applied and after closingthe circuit through the electric Heater the` latter is held in close proximity tothe waxv pellet res-ting upon the envelope or the like, so that n'otfonly is the' Wax mel-ted but the paper on which the Wax rests4 is also heated lthus establishing and assuring perfect adhesionof the' wax to the paper'. Assoon as; the wax is melted thersefal is pressed aggigai-,Iisty the melted wax pellet and as soon as' the Wax 'hardens the seal is removed. In order to control the circuit of the electric l'ieater,V asuitable switch may be provided in the circuit thereof,` said switch beingl preferably mounted on the frame and adapted to be held closed by the hand of the operator which grasps the fran-1e While using ythe' apparatus.

Other objects and features' of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings-2' Figure 1 is a side elevation of `my new seal applying instrument.-

Figure 2 is an end view of the instrument shown in Fig.. 1.

Figure 3 is a sidev elevatiofhof theY electric heating. plug. hereinafter described.

Figure 4 is a detail of a portion ofy the instrument shown in Fig.l

Figure 5 is a plan view of the wax' bar hereinafter descri ed.

Figure 6 is' side elevation ofthe wax bar shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is an end eleva-tion of the wax bar shown in Figs. 5 and'.

Figure 8' is a side elevation; and

Figure 9 is alan-*viewer ani-individual pelletl of wane ascribedlater:V v

Seria'i No. 160,189.

Having reference to the drawings 1` rep; resents a handle frame made at one end with a lateral extension or leg 2 whose free endv is made hollow to provide a`= compartment 3 for holding a numberlv of WaxA pellets.l One wall of this compartmentA 1s constituted in part by a door 4 slidably connected with the extension 2, thev door being held frictionally in its closed position. At the opposite side olf the handle body' 1 is pro# vided another lateral extension or leg 7.V The two legs 2'E and 7 are adapted to" support the handle frame 1 in an' upright po# sition upon a table or other support when' the device is not in use. v

Projecting from one side of the handle frame 1, and intermediate'the ends thereof, is a seal 8 provided at its outer end with a die surface 9 of usual and desiredA construction and design. At thev endof the handle body l, opposite the legs 2 and 7,- is pro vided a laterally projectingv extension i0 formed at its outer end with al socket of usual construction to' receive,A with` provision for removal,l an electric heating unit 11, shown by itself Fig'. The end and shell terminals of the-heatingfulnit 1'1, when the latter is Withinf thev socket 10,'contact withV the center and shell terminals of' the latter, and the terminals of thesocket are; as the case' of the ordinary electric cigar lighter, arranged Within a circuit" that; inY cl'udes Wires' 125` a push'j-button' switch 13 and a screw plug 14. The' screw plug 14 is adapted to be' screwed intoth'e usual lamp socket of a lighting circuit. The puslI-'butL tonswitch 13 isfy alsoofordinary? construction.

The body- 1I may be nrade' hollow, orchamber-ed,- toreceive the' Wires 12' and the usual contact members oftheB push-button' switch lwhose buttony extends through a hole in the sideE Wall of the handle frarre 1 tothe exterior of `the latter so that it rnaybe'cont-rolledfand operated by the hand o'fthe person using theg instrument. The' Wires 12 extend into the lro'l'lowlia'ndle fraine' 1l and are connected?, asg usuali, with the contacts of switchy 13' and socket 10.

As shown` in Figs; 1 and 4, the socket 10 is made with two legs'V or props l5 Whose outer ends connect with a circular Wall 15:"L surrounding, the outer end' of theheating unit and the inner endx of this Wall' is a prox-imately*v in the same plane" with t-i'e outer end of the heating unit; ill-etui; sepai rated from said end and socket 10 so as to provide vent and sight holes 15".

For use in connection with the above described apparatus I provide, as a new article of manufacture, a bar 17 of sealing wax weakened transversely at regular intervals throughout its length by grooves or depressions 18, and also having one side thereof formed with longitudinal serrations 19. The grooves or depressions 18 provide relatively Weak lines of cleavage distributed at regular intervals throughout the length of the bar, and it will be clear that by grasping one end of the bar in one hand and holding the other portion of the bar with the other close to the end groove 18, a pellet of a predetermined and definite size can be broken olf from the bar. This pellet, and each pellet section 20 of the bar, is designed to be of just the ri ht size to form a seal.

After brea 7ing one of the pellets from bar 17 it is placed in position upon the envelope or the like to which the seal is to be applied and then the operator takes in hand the apparatus or instrument shown in Fig. 1, pressing upon the button 13 so as to close the circuit 12 of heater unit 4. The instrument is then placed in position with relation to the pellet of wax resting on the envelope so that the circular wall 1,5a rests upon the envelope and surrounds the pellet with the heating unit 4 immediately above and out of Contact with the latter and in heating proximity thereto. As soon as the wax is melted the instrument is shifted so as to place the seal 8 upon the melted pellet, and the seal is pressed down in the usual fashion to make the impression upon the wax. It Will be clear that not only is the pellet heated and melted but the paper upon which the pellet rests is also heated thus establishing a stronger connection between the pellet and the paper than has been possible with the apparatus and means heretofore provided.

W'hen the instrument is placed in position with the Wall 15a surrounding the pellet and the heater 11 immediately above the latter, said Wall serves to conline the heat in the neighborhood of the pellet and to prevent air drafts. o; air circulation, which would carry off the heat and prevent the same from reaching the pellet. Also the Wall holds the document, paper, envelope or the like in a flat condition. The holes 15b at the top of the Wall 158L not only rovide outlets for the escape of vapor or the like but they also provide sight holes through which the user of the instrument can watch the progress of the heating operation. When the pellet has been heated to the desired extent smokelike Vapor will escape through the openings 15b and serve as an indication to the user that the heating process has been carried far enough. f

When the device is not in use for sealing purpose it may be set in an upright position with its legs 2 and 7 resting upon a table or other support. It will also be clear that the instrument may be used as a` cigar lighter as well as for applying` seals.

In applying seals by the methods heretofore employed, the customary practice has been to apply a flame to the end of a wax bar and permit the wax to drop upon the envelope or the like as it melts. The drops thus falling upon the envelope usually carried flame with them, were seldom accurately placed, and the amount of wax applied seldom accurately gauged. By this old method it was almost impossible to produce a neat and attractive seal. Another objection was that the burning of the wax greatly discolored, and therefore disfigured, the same. Furthermore, it was impossible to apply seals uniformly as regards the amount of wax employed for different seals.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate an individual pellet of circular shape suitable for use with the above described apparatus.

When one of the pellets 20 from the bar 17 is used it is placed upon the envelope or the like with its serrated side uppermost and as will be clear, the serrations 19 provide much more heat absorbing surface than would be provided by a flat or smooth side.

From the above description it will be seen that the wa-X is used in the form of pellets and, when one of these pellets is placed upon an envelope or the like, With the heating unit in position immediately above, but out of contact with said pellet, the latter is heated and softened or melted by radiant heat from the heating unit. In this way the wax is heated and applied as a seal to the document without the use of a llame or the application of a heated iron and just the amount of wax necessary to form the seal is employed.

What I claim is:

l. An instrument for use in applying sealing Wax comprising a frame; an electric heating unit and a seal mounted on said frame relatively positioned so as to provide for convenient use thereof successively; a circuit including said heating unit and also including circuit Wires extending beyond said frame; a screw plug connected with said wires, and a Wall carried by said frame surrounding said heating unit and adapted to be seated upon the envelope or the like to which the seal is applied to support the heating unit at a predetermined distance above a wax pellet occupying a position up li1n the envelope or the like Within said wa 2. An instrument for use in applying sealing wax comprising a frame; an electric heating unit and a seal mounted on said frame positioned relatively on the latter so as to provide for convenient use thereof successively; a circuit ineludinzgr said heating' unit and also including Circuit Wires extending beyond said frame; a screw plug connected with said Wires, and a Wall carried by said frame surrounding said heating unit and having openings at the upper end thereof, said Wall serving to position the heating unit with relation to the envelope ol' the like to which the seal is applied.

Signed by me at Boston, county of Sufl0 folk and State of Massachusetts, this 6th day of January7 1927.

FREDERICK M. DURKEE. 

